Mail-bag catcher.



M. RIGNEY.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. I914.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916. v 2 SHEETS-SHEET I Liz/Illa v wi/twemo I a w i M. RIGNEY.

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 9. I914.

1 ,203,652. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- {0 2L1! l I IT I TTI r q 0 in Fil 4 WWW 1 M u fl y may be delivered to hicle and a station,

' the apparatus;

MEAKIN RIG-NEY, OF

DETROIT, MICHIGAN, j ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO NATHAN C.

TALIAFERRO, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-BAG GA'IGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7,1916.

Application filed November 9, 1914. Serial No. 871,036.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1,,MEAKIN RIGNEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements ill-Mall Bag Catchers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, and the primary object of my invention is to provide positive and reliable means, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, whereby mail bags and received from a fast moving train, without injuring the mail bag.

Another object of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for handling mail in bulk between a moving train or vewithout endangering persons in the vicinity of the apparatus'or injury to property utilized for an exchange of mail matter between moving andstationary stations.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mail receiving and delivering apparatus that is applicable to the present type of mail car, the apparatus being of such construction as to withstand rough usage and the stresses and strains to which it is subjected during the transfer of mail matter.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now ings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus in an active position; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the car equipment; Fig. l is a perspective view of mail matter prepared to be handled by 5 illustrates detail sec tional views of a ointed delivery arm forming part of the car equipment; Fig. 6 is a be had to the drawperspective view of a portionof a delivery arm showing a holdfast device for temporarily positioning mail matter; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view Fig. 8 is a similar view of a latch forming part of a car equipment.

The car equipment comprises a wall plate 1 that is suita ly secured to the inner side of a crane latch, and

of a car or vehicle wall 2, contiguous to the doorway 3 of the car. The wall plate 1 has vertically alining apertured lugs 4 and pivotally mounted between said lugs by a pin or bolt 5 is a socket member 6 adapted to swing in a lateral plane to and from the wall 2. The socket member 6 is provided with a receiving arm 7 and a delivery arm 8.- The receiving arm 7 hasthe shape of a large hook disposed in a plane of approximately 90 degrees relative to the wall2 of the car, said receiving arm extending upwardly and having acurvature that permits of said arm projecting a considerable distance from the outer side of the car, as best shown in Fig. 1. 1

To retain the receiving arm 7 in an active position, protruding from the doorway 3 of the car, whereby mail matter can be caught by said arm, is a keeper 9 pivotally connected to the wall 2, as at 10 whereby said keeper can dropv by gravity and assume a position that does not obstruct the doorway 3. The outer end of the keeper 9 has a spring pressed latch 11, as best shown in Fig. 8, and this latch is adapted to engage in a notch 12 provided therefor intermediate the ends of the receiving arm 7. latch 11 is adapted to be retracted by a bell crank 13 pivotally connected to the keeper 9 and loosely engaging the latch 11. The bell crank 18 is positioned whereby it can be readily impinged by mail matter received by the arm 7 and when the bell crank is actuated, the keeper 9 assumes a position at the side of the doorway 3 and releases the receiving arm 7 whereby said arm can swing into'the car. To swing the mail receiving arm in this manner, a coiled compression spring 14 is employed and said spring is secured to the wall plate 1 and engages a socket member 6 when the car equipment is Thein an active position. "With the receiving' arm 7 held by the keeper 9, the spring 1 1 is 7 carried by the upper end of a leg 17. The leg has the lower end thereof provided with a caster 18 adapted to travel upon the floor of the car and lend support to the socket member 6, thus preventing said member from sagging under a load of mail matter.

The arm 8, within the connection 16 has a tongue 19 that protrudes from the end of the connection and is provided with a transverse pin 20., The ends of the pin 20*extend into longitudinally slotted arms 21 formed by bifurcating the inner end of the sect on 15 and it is through the medium of the pin and slot connection that the section 15 can be inserted in the connection 16 and rigidly held thereby as a prolongation of the arm 8, or swung downwardly when the car equipment is in an inactive position.

The outer end of the delivery arm section 15 has a head 22 in the form of a sleeve that is shrunk or otherwise mounted upon the section 15. The head 22 is provided with a depending lug 23 and the end of said lug has a rearwardly projecting pin 24 upon WlllCh mail matter is suspended. In order that mail matter can be expeditiously and safely handled, it is preferable to double or roll a mail bag 25, place a strap 26 around the bag, as best shown in Fig. 4, with the strap passing through a ring 27. The ring 27 is suspended upon the pin 24 and to prevent the same from becoming accidentally displaced or swinging sidewise upon the pin, yieldable detents 28 are employed, as shown in Fig. 6. The yieldable detents 28 have hubs 29 mounted upon a rock shaft 30, journaled in bearings 31 carried by the head 22. A coiled retractile spring 32 encircles the rock shaft 30, between the hubs 29, and one end of the spring is connected to one of the hubs and the opposite end to the head 22. This spring maintains the detents 28 normally depending to retain the ring 27 upon'the pin 24, but said detents yield and permit of the ring 27 being easily removed from the pin 24 when the ring 27 is caught by a mail receiving arm. 1

Reference will now be had to the track or station equipment, which is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 7. Located in proximity to a track or the path of travel of a car or vehicle is a stationary crane base or pedestal 33 and swiveled therein is the lower end of a crane 34 having the upper end thereof terminate in a mail delivery arm 35 provided with a mail holding head 36, similar to the head 22 of the arm 8 of the car equipment.

The upper end of the base or pedestal 33 has a bracket 37 provided with a lug 38 and a keeper 39. Th lug 38 supports a curved pin 40 which extends into an opening 41 provided therefor in a mail receiving arm 42 fixed to the crane 34 to swing therewith. The mail receiving arm 42 is constructed upon the same principle as the arm 7 of the car equipment and a swinging movement of the crane is cushioned by a coiled spring 4-3 arranged upon the curved pin 40. The spring 43 serves as a buifer and when the crane assumes an inactive position it is ten1- porarily locked by a spring pressed latch 44, carried by the arm 42 and adapted to engage the keeper 39 of the bracket 37.

The position of the car equipment relative to the station equipment, when receiving and delivering mail matter, is such that the arm 7 relieves the arm 35 of its mail matter and the arm 42 of the crane relieves the arm 8 of its mail matter. As such transfer is made, the car equipment automatically swings from an active position through the doorway of the car to an inactive position, and the crane 34 is swung to one side and locked, whereby mail matter can be safely removed from the arm 42, even while a train is passing the station equipment.

As there is less danger of mail matter not being caught by a station equipment than a car equipment, I attach considerable importance to the fact that the mail receiving arm 7 positively receives a ring before the arm is released, thereby precluding any possibility of mail matter being dropped by the arm when assuming an inactive position within a car. Furthermore, the ring holding device of the delivery arm is essential in order that a ring will be squarely presented to a receiving arm, and with these rings a considerable size, the receiving arms will enter the same, irrespective of rocking movement of a car or rolling stock.

It is thought that the operationand utility of the apparatus will be apparent without further description, and while in the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes, in the size, shape and manner of assemblage as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, a car equipment comprising a pivoted socket member, receiving and delivery arms carried thereby, a leg supporting said delivery arm, a foldable section carried by the outer end of said arm, a head carried by the outer end of said section, a rearwardly extending pin supported by said head and from which mail matter is adapted to be suspended by a ring, and yieldable detents carried by said head and co6perating with said pin in correctly positioning the ring upon said pin.

2. In a mail receiving and delivering apparatus, a car equipment comprising a pivoted socket member adapted for attachment to the inner side of a car wall, a delivery arm carried thereby and adapted to have the said head and cooperating with said pin in 10 outer end thereof swung out of the car, a correctly positioning the rin upon said pin. leg movable on the'floor of the car and sup- In testimony whereof I a X my signature porting the delivery arm, a foldable section in presence of two witnesses.

carried by the outer end of said arm, a head carried by the outerend of said section, a MEAKIN RIGNEY. rearwardly extending pin supported by said Witnesses:

head and from which mail matter is adapted ANNA M. Donn,

to be suspended by a ring, means carried by LEWIS E. FLANDERS.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. (1. 

